Peeling vegetables, serving rotis, washing dishes, Rahul Gandhi goes beyond symbolic volunteer service at Golden Temple
Rahul Gandhi returned to the Golden Temple on the second day of his private visit and continued his voluntary service without making it clear how long he plans to be in Amritsar.
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Amritsar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi performs 'sewa' during a visit to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (PTI Photo) Keeping his plans close to his chest, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continued to perform sewa (volunteer service) at the Golden Temple in Amritsar for around two hours on Tuesday.
High dignitaries sometimes come to the Golden Temple and perform symbolic volunteer service. However, it is rare for a politician to undertake a private visit to the Sikh shrine for more than a day and participate in volunteer services for hours.
Rahul landed in Amritsar on Monday and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple. Later, he checked in to a nearby hotel, returned in the evening and spent around three hours at the shrine.
Amritsar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi performs ‘sewa’ during a visit to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (PTI Photo)
On Monday night, along with the devotees, Rahul gave a shoulder to the Palaki Sahib (the golden palanquin carrying the Sikh sacred text Guru Granth Sahib). He was also seen cleaning the steel grills at the entry of the sanctum sanctorum.
Rahul returned to the temple from his hotel around 11.30 am Tuesday, served rotis to devotees at the langar (community kitchen), and ate along with them. He peeled vegetables with the women devotees and interacted with them. To the surprise of devotees, he even served them water. On Monday, he had washed dishes in the community kitchen.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi performs ‘sewa’ during a visit to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. (Express Photo)
Rahul has been mingling with devotees inside the shrine despite his tight security. He interacted with a Sikh child from Uttarakhand while coming out of the temple Monday night.
Rahul Gandhi peeled vegetables with the women devotees and interacted with them. To the surprise of devotees, he even served them water. On Monday, he had washed dishes in the community kitchen. (Express Photo)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi performs ‘sewa’ during a visit to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (PTI Photo)
State Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring told party workers on Monday to stay away from the personal visit of Rahu to the Golden Temple. Rahul himself has not yet made any statement on his visit, and it is not sure how long he will be in Amritsar.
Rahul’s visit comes at a time when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been alleging attempts to spread hate propaganda against the Sikhs in the aftermath of the escalation in India-Canada tensions over the murder of alleged Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
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